EAT TO PROTECT YOUR HEALTH, AND
REDUCE THE RISK OF CANCER
TORRANCE MEMORIAL MEDICAL CENTER
DEBRA NESSEL, RD, CDE
Medical Nutrition Therapy, and Diabetes Care- (310) 891-6707
WHAT MAY AFFECT THE
RISK OF CANCER?
The American Institute for Cancer Research
“Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity and the Prevention of Cancer: a Global Perspective”
The result of an analysis of over 7000 research studies on the link between diet, lifestyle and cancer, and for the first time cancer survivors
www.aicr.org “comprehensive global report” 10 Recommendations, last one specific to survivors.
The American Institute for Cancer
Research Recommendations:
1. Be as lean as possible without becoming underweight.
2. Be physically active for at least 30 minutes every day.
3. Avoid sugary drinks. Limit consumption of energy-
dense foods. due to correlation with obesity
4. Eat more of a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole
grains and legumes such as beans.
5. Limit consumption of red meats (such as beef, pork
and lamb) and avoid ALL processed meats. 11 – 18 oz
per week max
6. If consumed at all, limit alcoholic drinks to 2 for men and 1 for
women a day. 12 oz beer, 5 oz wine, 1.5 oz spirits
7. Limit consumption of salty foods and foods processed with salt
(sodium). stomach cancer (also moldy foods due to liver cancer in
developing countries)
8. Don’t use supplements to protect against cancer.
9. It is best for mothers to breastfeed exclusively for up to 6
months and then add other liquids and foods. reduce breast
cancer in mom and obesity in child
10. After treatment, cancer survivors should follow the
recommendations for cancer prevention.
*Special Population Recommendations
EVERYDAY WE ARE CONFRONTED
WITH FOOD CHOICES……
WATCH YOUR WEIGHT!
65% of Americans are overweight or obese.
Only 6% of Americans identify being overweight or obese as a risk factor for cancer despite a clearly established scientific link.
Research shows that fat cells can act as "hormone pumps," secreting hormones and other growth factors into the bloodstream.
If the body's cells are exposed to very high levels of these substances over an extended period, they tend to reproduce more quickly ? Increase cancer cell growth.
Researchers stress that this potentially dangerous condition is reversible!
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND CANCER:
CRITICAL FOR WEIGHT CONTROL
GROWTH HORMONE REGULATION
STRESS MANAGEMENT
COUNTERACTS FATIGUE
SUPPORTS THE IMMUNE SYSTEM
New Guidelines from the Dept of Health &
Human Services Minimum 150 min moderate, or 75 min vigorous to
reduce risk of chronic disease Ideally aim for more – and necessary if weight loss
and maintenance of loss is the goal – 300 min of moderate or 150 minutes of vigorous.
Physical activity linked to lower risk of breast, prostate and colorectal cancer
IN ADDITION TO WEIGHT
CONTROL FRUITS & VEGETABLES
MAY OFFER A PROTECTIVE
EFFECTS:
PHYTONUTRIENTS:
PREVENTION IN A PLANT
What are They? Plant foods contain thousands of natural chemicals.
These are called phytonutrients or phytochemicals."Phyto" refers to the Greek word for plant. These chemicals help protect plants from germs, fungi, bugs, and other threats.
How do they work? Stimulate enzymes that help the body detoxify Reduce the genetic damage from cancer causing agents May interfere with growth and multiplication of cancer cells Decrease inflammation
PHYTONUTRIENTS:
PREVENTION IN A PLANT
Where are They Found?
Fruits and vegetables contain phytonutrients. Other
plant-based foods also contain phytonutrients, such as:
Whole grains
Nuts
Beans
Tea
Beyond vitamins, minerals and fiber, natural compounds found in plants may exert profound disease preventive effects The “immune system” of a plant – many also represent the pigment that gives the plant it’s color.
FRUITS & VEGETABLES..THE
BRIGHTER THE BETTER
PLANT PIGMENTS HELP PLANTS AS WELL AS HUMANS: addition to attracting animals, such as protecting it from UV damage, dampening the effects of excess light, enabling photosynthesis, and even acting as endogenous antioxidants (plants can’t really sip red wine and pop supplements, after all).
Luckily, it appears that we can leverage many of these pigments for our own gain by eating brightly colored fruits and vegetables.
PHYTOCHEMICALS
Lutein = Green vegetables Broccoli, spinach, kale, and collard greens
-reduces risk of cardiovascular disease
-protects eyes from cataracts and macular degeneration
-antioxidant
Carotene = Orange/ Yellow Fruits & Vegetables; carrots, yams,
pumpkin, apricots, and cantaloupe
-helps increase immune system
-helps prevent liver, lung and skin cancer
-slows progression of cataracts
-helps to boost immunity
-antioxidant
PHYTOCHEMICALS
Antocyanins = Blue / Purple Fruits and Vegetables; blueberries,
blackberries, eggplant, plum, strawberries, acai, cherry, red grapes,
apples
-anti-inflammatory
-may assist in combating cancer cells
-may assist in combating diabetes
-antioxidants
Resveratrol = Blue /Purple Concord grapes, skin of red grapes, red
wine, grape juice
-heart health (vasorelaxation)
-cancer prevention
PHYTOCHEMICALS
Lycopene = Red Fruits and Vegetables Cooked tomatoes, have more
than raw as, cooking and crushing helps get it into the bloodstream.
Watermelon, and papaya are also good sources.
-reduced risk of prostate and lung cancers
antioxidants work by binding free radicals= prevent cellular damage
Phytonutrients work together to
provide a synergistic benefit
Food First!
10 BASIC GOALS
1. Plan a meal or snack every 4-5 hours
2. Choose carbohydrates that are high in fiber
and low in fat.
3. Limit concentrated sweets
4. Include lean proteins with each meal
5. Include lots of fresh fruits and vegetables
6. Choose unsaturated fats over saturated
7. Limit sodium from processed foods
8. Exercise 30m minutes, 5 x per week
9. Drink at least 5 glasses of water
10. Become familiar with your habits
DONUT VS ORANGE
200 calories
10 grams sugar
0 grams fiber
0 phytonutrients
62 calories
12 grams sugar
3 grams fiber
170 phytonutrients
FOOD FIRST 75% of Americans don’t eat “5 a day” Americans eat 1.5 servings of vegetables &
less than 1 serving of fruit daily, despite consistent evidence that these foods decrease the risk of many chronic diseases.
We throw away more than 11 billion pounds of
fruits and vegetables every year in the US!! Americans spent $26.7 billion per year on
dietary supplements in 2009 despite limited and inconclusive scientific evidence of effectiveness in disease prevention and treatment
TYPICAL AMERICAN
PLATE
Include protein from plants:
legumes, nuts, seeds, quinoa
CHOOSE MORE PLANT
PROTEIN
INCLUDE 5-10 servings fruits & veggies each day
• 1 serving = 1/2 cup cut, cooked or sliced; 1 piece medium fruit; 1 cup leafy greens
Emphasis on variety
Richly colored plant foods are most phytonutrient-dense
ALCOHOL
Limit alcohol intake
< 1 drink/day for women
< 2 drinks/day for men
Women who consume 1 drink or more/day have
an increased risk of breast cancer (10-40% increased risk)
Adequate folate intake (400mcg/d) may reduce the increased risk of breast cancer associated with alcohol use
AICR: LIMIT RED MEAT
INTAKE
Limit red meat to 18 ounces per week (includes beef pork and lamb), with a long-term goal of no more than 11 oz/week.
Avoid processed meats
“Processed meat” refers to meats preserved by smoking, curing or salting, or by the addition of preservatives (ham, bacon, pastrami, salami, hot dogs and sausages.
When meat is preserved by smoking, curing or salting, or by the addition of preservatives, cancer-causing substances (carcinogens) can be formed. These substances can damage cells in the body, leading to the development of cancer.
Studies show people who eat more meat often eat less plant-based food.
DIETARY FAT AND CANCER
Bottom Line: NO Trans Fats, I Encourage Mono’s and Omega
3’s; limit Saturated as they are often processed.
Always keeping an eye on portion control
Issue has been raised in colorectal, breast, pancreatic,
prostate cancer, and possibly others
AICR Global found no “probable or convincing” connection
between cancer and total fat intake (only “limited/suggestive”
with post-menopausal breast cancer and lung cancer
weak)
Concern is primarily with saturated fat, but it is difficult to
know exactly what fat effects, is it calorie and excess weight,
or is it tied to the source of fat, i.e. high intakes of red and
processed meats.
OMEGA 3 FATS
Anti-inflammatory
Reduce muscle wasting during treatment (cancer cachexia)
Great for your cardiovascular system
Salmon, herring, sardines, mackerel
Aim for 4 oz of oily fish 2-3 times a week
Daily goal: 1000 mg of combined EPA/DHA
SOME STUDIES SHOW
HIGH DOSE NUTRIENT
SUPPLEMENTATION CAN
BE DETRIMENTAL:
Beta carotene supplementation in smokers N Engl J Med. 1994 Apr 14;330(15):1029-35. (ATBC)
The effect of vitamin E and beta carotene on the incidence
of lung cancer and other cancers in male smokers. The
Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta Carotene Cancer Prevention Study
Group.
N Engl J Med. 1996 May 2;334(18):1150-5. (CARET)
Effects of a combination of beta carotene and vitamin
A on lung cancer and cardiovascular disease.
INSULIN AND CANCER
Excess insulin can promote tumor cell growth
Behaviors that increase insulin levels Consumption of refined sugar and flour Overeating Weight gain Sedentary lifestyle
Behavior that reduces insulin levels Physical activity, weight loss, unrefined carbs Lower fasting insulin level at time of breast
cancer diagnosis is associated with improved survival.
Mulligan et al. Breast Ca Res Treat. 2007 Jan 13
ORGANIC VS.
CONVENTIONAL
No scientific evidence to date that organic offers anti-cancer advantage at this point
= one study suggested organic blueberries significantly higher sugars (fructose and glucose), malic acid, total phenolics, total anthocyanins, and antioxidant activity (ORAC) *
Thousands of studies support the health benefits of diets high in fruits & vegetables and none done exclusively on organics
More than ½ of dietary pesticide exposure comes from 12 foods – EWG “Dirty Dozen”
Bottom line: wash things thoroughly and don’t let this decrease # of fruits/vegetables you eat!
*J Agric Food Chem. 2008 Jul 23;56(14):5788-94. Epub 2008 Jul 1